Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Ctenanthe oppenheimiana cultivar Amagris.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ctenanthe plant, botanically known as Ctenanthe oppenheimiana, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Amagris.
The new Ctenanthe is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Ctenanthe oppenheimiana selection known as burle-marxii, not patented. The new Ctenanthe was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a plant within a population of plants of the parent selection in a controlled environment in Beervelde-Lochristi, Belgium in June, 2000.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by tissue culture micropropagation at Beervelde-Lochristi, Belgium since 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Ctenanthe are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Amagrisxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Amagrisxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Ctenanthe cultivar:
1. Compact plant habit.
2. Narrow leaf shape.
3. Upper leaf surface grayed green in color with dark green margins and venation.
4. Lower leaf surface grayed purple in color.
Plants of the new Ctenanthe are most similar to plants of the parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Beervelde-Lochristi, Belgium, plants of the new Ctenanthe differed from plants of the parent cultivar in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Ctenanthe were smaller than plants of the parent selection.
2. Plants of the new Ctenanthe were fuller than plants of the parent selection.
3. Plants of the new Ctenanthe had a slower growth rate than plants of the parent selection.
4. Plants of the new Ctenanthe had narrower and shorter leaves than plants of the parent selection.
5. Plants of the new Ctenanthe and the parent selection differed in leaf color as plants of the new Ctenanthe had grayed green-colored upper leaf surfaces whereas plants of the parent selection had green-colored upper leaf surfaces.